Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively used as a coating on carbon electrodes to increase sensitivity, catalyze oxidation, and increase electron transfer kinetics.  The majority of CNT immobilization techniques have resulted in heterogeneous films consisting of randomly orientated CNTs on the electrode surface; which lead to large variations between electrodes and increased noise, as well. The goal of this research is to develop microelectrodes that are more suitable for neural implantation, are more sensitive to neurotransmitter oxidation/reduction, and have greater consistency between electrodes.  Two different electrode fabrication techniques will be discussed: aligned CNTs grown laterally on the surface of a carbon microfiber and carbon nanotube fiber microelectrodes that integrates CNTs and a polymer into a fiber matrix.  Electrodes fabricated from carbon fibers with CNTs grown on the end by chemical vapor deposition are only slightly larger in diameter than bare carbon fibers, but have an electroactive surface area more than 5 times greater while oxidation currents for serotonin are about 10 times higher than traditional electrodes.  CNT fiber electrodes also display a large oxidation current density and have significantly faster electron transfer kinetics than the carbon fiber microelectrodes.  These two fiber electrodes will be compared to determine the impact that CNT alignment and depositing CNTs onto a carbon fiber have on the electrochemical properties of microelectrodes.

Exploiting carbon nanotubes for real-time detection of neurotransmitters

244th National Meeting (2012)

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